Receptacle attachment for wheelchair arm

ABSTRACT

A receptacle attachment comprising a case adapted for fixed mounting to a wheelchair arm and defining a main compartment for receiving sundry articles. A cover pivotally mounted to the case includes a front wall having a lower edge portion engageable upon the case front wall to orient the cover in a horizontal or open position in which its walls define an auxiliary compartment adjacent the main compartment. Resilient snubbers releasably hold the cover in its closed position.

United States Patent [1 1 Bennet [111 3,759,569 1 Sept. 18, 1973 1RECEPTACLE ATTACHMENT FOR WHEELCHAIR ARM [76] Inventor: LesterILBennet,11482 Foster Rd.,

Rossmoor, Calif.

[22] Filed: Dec. 8, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 206,014

[52] US. Cl 297/194, 297/D1G. 4, 108/25,

' 232/19 [51] Int. Cl. A47c 7/62 [58] Field of Search 297/194, 188, 191,

297/D1G. 4; 312/248, 245;108/33, 26, 34, 38, 25; 232/17, 19, 1 R

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,017,962 2/1912 Fliedner etal 312/328 1,196,269 8/1916 Olmsted 312/328 3,522,887 8/1970 Petersen297/194 X 1,057,541 4/1913 Gettins 312/248 X 1,951,053 3/1934 Johnson232/17 1,904,297 4/1933 Saunders 312/248 X 2,548,828 4/1951 Syverud312/248 2,979,120 4/1961 Ambum... 297/188 3,367,714 2/1968 Stone 297/194Primary Examiner-James T. McCall Attorney-Francis A. Utecht [57]ABSTRACT A receptacle attachment comprising a case adapted for fixedmounting to a wheelchair arm and defining a main compartment forreceiving sundry articles. A cover pivotally mounted to the caseincludes a front wall having a lower edge portion engageable upon thecase front wall to orient the cover in a horizontal or open position inwhich its walls define an auxiliary compartment adjacent the maincompartment. Resilient snubbers releasably hold the cover in its closedposltion.

1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures RECEPTACLE ATTACHMENT FOR WHEELCHAIR ARMBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The presentinvention relates to receptacle attachments for wheelchair arms.

2. Description of the Prior Art A handicapped person in a wheelchairoften has no convenient place to store articles of a personal nature.Loose containers, purses or the like fall out of reach or are notconveniently accessible. Alternatively, if a bag or similar holder isattached to the wheelchair where it can be reached there is the dangerthat it might become entangled in the moving parts of the wheelchair.

SUMMARY According to the present invention, a receptacle attachment isprovided which includes a case for mounting in fixed position upon awheelchair arm, the walls of the case defining a main compartment forreceiving sundry articles. The receptacle attachment also includes acover which in its vertical or closed position closes the maincompartment, but which is quickly and easily pivoted to a horizontal oropen position to define an auxiliary compartment. In the open positionthe cover engages upon the front wall of the case for support to bearthe weight of beverage cups and like articles temporarily placed in theauxiliary compartment.

The receptacle attachment includes resilient means engaged between thecase and cover to frictionally constrain the cover against inadvertentmovement to its open position. However, a firm pressure upon the coverovercomes this resilient constraint to pivot the cover to its openposition.

The present receptacle attachment is relatively inexpensive tomanufacture,-easy to maintain, and sufficiently rugged and dependable inservice that a reliable and convenient receptacle is always at hand forthe wheelchair user.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent fromconsideration of the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of thereceptacle attachment in closed position, mounted to the wheelchair varm;

DESCRIPTION OF THE FREFERRED EMBODIMENT According to the presentinvention there is provided a receptacle attachment 10 for mounting tothe outside of a wheelchair arm 12. The attachment 10 is preferably madeof injection molded impact resistant plastic material and comprises,generally, a generally rectangular case 14 which is secured to thewheelchair arm 12 by an upper bracket 16 fitted to the arm support tube13 and by a lower bracket 18 fitted to the wheelchair skirt panel orguard 20. The attachment [0 further includes a cover 22 which is mountedto the case 14 for movement about a horizontal pivot axis 24, the covernormally being constrained against pivotal movement relative to the case14 by a pair of snubbers 26.

The brackets 16 and 18 for mounting the attachment 10 to the wheelchairarm structure is merely exemplary, and various types of attachmentbrackets may be used, depending upon the particular nature of thewheelchair structure to which the receptacle attachment 10 is to bemounted. In the present example, the wheelchair. arm 12 comprises thesupport tube 13, which constitutes the upper portion of the arm 12, andthe skirt guard 20 which forms part of the lower portion of the arm 12.

The upper bracket 16 includes a vertical wall 28 which is integral withan upwardly opening, arcuate channel 30 adapted to complementallyreceive the arcuate undersurface of the arm support tube 13, as bestillustrated in FIG. 1. The vertical bracket wall 28 includes openingswithin which a pair of interiorly threaded bushings (not shown) arepress fitted. A pair of complemental mounting screws and washers 32extend through suitable openings 34 in a vertically oriented rear wall36'of the case 14, being threaded into the threaded bushings to rigidlysecure the portion of the case 14 to the arm support tube 13.

The lower bracket 18 includes a vertical wall 38 having spaced apartopenings within which are press fitted internally threaded bushingswhich threadably receive a pair of complemental mounting screws andwashers 40. These extend through suitable openings 42 provided in thecase rear wall 36. Adjacent the wall 38 the bracket 18 includes adownwardly opening groove or channel 44 which complementally fits overthe upper edge margin of the wheelchair skirt guard 20, so thattightening of the screws 40 securely clamps the case 14 onto the skirtguard 20 of the arm 12.

The openings 42 are vertically elongated to provide some tolerance forpossible variations in the exact location of the upper edge of the skirtguard 20. However, it will be apparent that the location and number ofthe openings in the casing wall 36 can be made such as is required toadapt the receptacle attachment 10 to various types and sizes ofwheelchair.

The case 14 further includes a horizontal bottom wall 46, a front wall48 extending upwardly approximately one-third the height of the rearwall 36, and a pair of side walls 50 whose front or outer edges slopeupwardly and inwardly as illustrated. The case walls 36, 46, 48 and 50define a main compartment 54 for receiving and storing sundry articles,such as handkerchiefs, glasses, lipstick, and the like.

The upper portions of these 'side walls 50 include openings within whichthe snubbers 26 are located. Each snubber is preferably a rubber grommetwith a peripheral groove to seat the edge margin of the opening withinwhich it is disposed. The portions of the snubber projecting outwardlyof the opening are thus *adapted to resiliently or frictionally engagethe cover 22, as will be seen.

The lower portions of the case side walls 50 include openings whichreceivea pair of trunnions 52. These are integral with the cover 22, aswill be seen, and define the pivot axis 24. The inner terminus of eachtrunnion 52 includes a circumferential flange larger than the opening inthe associated case side wall so that the trunnion 52 cannot come out ofthe opening. In addition, the case front wall 48 includes an outwardlyprojecting flange 51 at its upper edge to strengthen the front wall 48against bending.

As best seen in FIG. 1, the cover 22 is pivotally mounted to the case 14for movement between a vertical or closed position and a horizontal oropen position. The cover 22 includes a front wall 56, a top wall 60 anda pair of side walls 62. In the closed position the cover walls 56 and62 are generally parallel to the case walls 48 and 50, respectively,with the cover top wall 60 overlying the main compartment 54. In theopen position the cover front wall 56 is horizontally oriented and formsthe bottom of an auxiliary compartment 64 in which additional articlescan be temporarily placed, such as beverage cups or the like. Theauxiliary compartment 64 is formed on its sides by the case front wall48 and the cover top and side walls 60 and 62.

The front wall 56 includes alower terminus or edge portion in the formof an inwardly projecting flange 58 which, in the closed position of thecover 22, is located adjacent to, coextensive with, and beneath theoutwardly projecting flange 51 of the case 14. The flange 58 strengthensthe cover wall 56 against bending and also cooperates with the caseflange 51 to properly locate the cover 22 in its closed position,preventing inward or closing movement of the cover 22 beyond apredetermined point. Moreover, in the open position of the cover 22 thecover flange 58 engages the lower portion of the cover front wall 48 andconstrains the cover against further downward pivotal movement, therebyproviding a secure support to bear the weight of filled beverage cups orthe like in the auxiliary compartment 64.

Annular, upwardly projecting ridges or rings 66 are preferablyintegrally molded in the inner face of the cover front wall 56 to boundand thereby locate the bottom rim of a beverage cup. In this regard, thecover front wall 56 includes an outwardly projecting hollow flange 68which forms a groove or channel on the inside at the juncture of thefront wall 56 and top wall 60 adjacent the auxiliary compartment 64.This channel is adapted to help contain some of the liquid spillagewhich may occur in the compartment 64. The hollow flange 68 alsorigidifies the top wall 60 against deflection, so that a user can simplypress down and outwardly upon the cover top wall 60 to quickly andeasily pivot the cover 22 to its open position, and it also rigidifiesthe cover front wall 56 against deflection so that the wall 56 cansupport the weight of filled beverage cups or the like.

The portions of the snubbers 26 projecting outwardly of the case sidewalls 50 are resiliently engaged by the complemental inner surfaces ofthe cover side walls 62 in the closed position of the cover 22. Theresilience and degree of projection of the snubbers 26 holds the cover22 in its closed position and requires a deliberate and firm downwardand outward force upon the cover 22 to move it to its open position.

From the foregoing it will. be apparent that the present receptacleattachment 10 is relatively quickly and easily attached in a readilyaccessible position on a wheelchair arm. lt defines a normally closedmain compartment 54, and can beeasily operated to open the maincompartment 54 and simultaneously form an auxiliary compartment 64.

Various modifications and changes may be made with regard to theforegoing detailed description without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

I claim:

1. Receptacle attachment for wheelchair arm, said attachment comprising:

a case including means for mounting said case in fixed position upon awheelchair arm, said case including a back wall, a bottom wall, a pairof side walls, and a front wall defining a main compartment forreceiving sundry articles; cover including a front wall having a loweredge portion, a top wall, and a pair of side walls, said cover beingpivotally mounted to said case for movement between a vertical, closedposition, wherein said side walls and front wall are generally parallelto said side walls and front wall of said case with said top walloverlying said main compartment, and a horizontal, open position,wherein said front wall is horizontally oriented to define an auxiliarycompartment defined by said front wall of said case and said front, topand side walls of said cover, said lower edge portion of said front wallof said cover engaging said front wall of said case in said openposition to constrain said cover against pivotal movement below saidhorizontal open position, said front wall of said cover including anoutwardly projecting upper portion defining, with said top wall of saidcover, a channel adjacent said auxiliary compartment to receive spillageof any liquid in said auxiliary compartment and to rigidify saidoutwardly projecting upper portion of said front wall of said cover; andresilient means engaged between said side walls of said case and saidside walls of said cover and frictionally constraining the respectivesaid side walls against relative movement in said closed position toreleasably hold said cover in said closed position.

1. Receptacle attachment for wheelchair arm, said attachment comprising:a case including means for mounting said case in fixed position upon awheelchair arm, said case including a back wall, a bottom wall, a pairof side walls, and a front wall defining a main compartment forreceiving sundry articles; a cover including a front wall having a loweredge portion, a top wall, and a pair of side walls, said cover beingpivotally mounted to said case for movement between a vertical, closedposition, wherein said side walls and front wall are generally parallelto said side walls and front wall of said case with said top walloverlying said main compartment, and a horizontal, open position,wherein said front wall is horizontally oriented to define an auxiliarycompartment defined by said front wall of said case and said front, topand side walls of said cover, said lower edge Portion of said front wallof said cover engaging said front wall of said case in said openposition to constrain said cover against pivotal movement below saidhorizontal open position, said front wall of said cover including anoutwardly projecting upper portion defining, with said top wall of saidcover, a channel adjacent said auxiliary compartment to receive spillageof any liquid in said auxiliary compartment and to rigidify saidoutwardly projecting upper portion of said front wall of said cover; andresilient means engaged between said side walls of said case and saidside walls of said cover and frictionally constraining the respectivesaid side walls against relative movement in said closed position toreleasably hold said cover in said closed position.